Warmbier of Germany visits the big city

Thursday

Sep 6, 2012 at 9:08 AMSep 6, 2012 at 9:11 AM

Kathren Warmbier calls Mörschied, Germany home.“It’s a smaller town of about 900,” she said.So, when the exchange student arrived in Redwood Falls Aug. 4 she came to a new experience – bigger city life.

Kathren Warmbier calls Mörschied, Germany home.“It’s a smaller town of about 900,” she said.So, when the exchange student arrived in Redwood Falls Aug. 4 she came to a new experience – bigger city life.Actually, Warmbier, who is calling the Becky Deterling family her home for the next several months, said she likes the fact she is in Redwood Falls.“It’s like a really big village,” she said. “I loved nature, and this area is perfect for that.”Warmbier said she wanted to come to the United States for a number of reasons, including the reason most exchange students make the trip – to improve her English speaking skills.Then again, the allure of the U.S. appealed to her as well.“It’s just America,” said Warmbier, who said when she arrived in the U.S. in August it was her first experience here.While life in many ways is similar for Warmbier compared to life at home with her parents Gutta and Rainer Warmbier, there are certainly things that are different than the German teenage experience.

“People here all drive,” she said. “Teens do a lot more walking in Germany.”As an RVHS student, Warmbier is taking English, U.S. history, careers and leadership, video productions and band. Music, said Warmbier, is a big part of her life.When she discovered she could take band in school and practice every day, Warmbier jumped at the chance and is playing the tenor saxophone.“I usually play the alto (saxophone),” she said, adding the tenor sax is what was available. “I have been playing for eight years, but not with school. It’s nice to be able to play every day.”In addition to her school work, Warmbier is involved in cheerleading and is a member of the dance team.She also takes part in both of those activities in Germany, adding she has been dancing since she was about four years old.During her stay in Redwood Falls, Warmbier said she is hoping to make a lot of new friends, but mostly she just wants to “live the normal Am-erican life” while she is here.Looking ahead, Warmbier said she has thought about giving gymnastics a try, but she said her host family is big into hockey. So, she said, she might give that a try this winter.“I love it here,” she said, adding her experience has been positive so far. “I am meeting lots of people every day, but I am not remembering names all that well.”Then again who can blame her? After all, Redwood Falls is the big city.